Combination transformer



Feb. 12, 1935.

A. M. PROCTOR COMBnI NAT ION TRANSFORMER Filed Dec. 29, 1931 @4558? M PRO Snventor Patented Feb. 12, 1935 COMBINATION TRANSFORMER Albert M. Proctor, Chula Vista, Calif.

Application December 29,

14 Claims.

My invention relates to a combination transformer and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a transformer of this class which is connected to both the conventional source of alternating current and through a novel current changing means to a source of direct current, thus should the conventional alternating current producing generators or the like fail to operate for one reason or another, the supply lines may be automatically connected to the source of direct current such as batteries and yet maintain its alternating current characteristics;

Second, to provide a transformer of this class in which the change from the alternate current source of supply to the direct current source requires but a moment so that failure of the alternating current source causes only a momentary loss of power in the distributing system;

Third, to provide a transformer of this class which has a wide range of uses being as suitable for large power plants as it is for radio sets. In the latter case said transformer when attached to a radio set of the ordinary alternating current type, enables the radio sets to be operated by the conventional 110 volt alternating current or by the conventional 6 volt or 8 volt direct current automobile battery; and

Fourth, to provide on the whole a novelly constructed combination transformer operable from either an alternating current or direct current source which is durable and eificient in its action and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view of my transformer and adjacent portions of electrical system and Fig. 2 is a modified arrangement thereof shown diagrammatically.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the two views of the drawing.

Core 1, secondary winding 2, main primary winding 3, alternating current supply line 4, switch 5, auxiliary primary winding 6, reversing switch mechanism 7, direct current supply line 8, switch 9, switch control means 10, dual primary coil 11, and

1931, Serial No. 583,626

switch 12 constitute the principal parts and portions of my novel combination transformer.

A suitable transformer core 1 is provided around which is disposed a secondary winding 2 connected with a suitable power distributing system or any appliance adapted to receive power. The core is also provided with a main primary winding 3 which may be similar to the conventional transformer winding with its extremities connected to an alternating current supply line 4. The supply line 4 is connected to a conventional source of alternating current and is provided with a switch 5 therein.

The transformer is also provided with an auxiliary primary win auxiliary primary tacts 'Ia and lb of the reversing switch ding 6. The extremities of the winding are connected to conmechanism 7. The reversing switch mechanism may be of any suitable form capable of performing the various functions brought out hereinafter. It is preferred, however, to use a type of reversing switch as disclosed in my co-pending application Serial Number States Patent Office, structure illustrated in the the contacts la and 7b ride 586,166, filed in the United January 12, 1932. In the present application upon a commutator comprising three segments "Id separated by insulated portions 7e.

The commutator is mounted on a shaft 7 and driven by a suitable motor lg. Midway between the 7b, there is provided a contacts la and third contact 76 which is connected to one lead of a direct current supply line 8. The other lead The direct current supply with a switch 9 leads.

The switches 5 thereof is joined to the winding 6 exactly at the cenline 8 is provided therein which controls both and 9 are preferably operated simultaneously in such a manner that when the switch 5 is on,

the switch 9 is Off and vice-versa. This is accomplished by a switch control means 10,

10a connecting the comprising a bar or the like two switches, a solenoid and armature 10d for shifting the switches in one direction and a spring for shifting the switches in the opposite direction.

Operation of my combination transformer is as follows:

When the source of power is an alternating by functioning in a conventional manner. By

arranging the solenoid 10d in such a manner that the switch 5 shall be closed as long as current is supplied from the alternating current source, and further, arranging the spring so as to shift the switches to their opposite positions, it can be seen that upon the source of alternating current being cut off, the coil 3 will be rendered inoperative and the coil 6 will be brought into action. When this is done the motor 7g causes the commutator '70 to rotate at a predetermined speed so that the current first flows in one direction to the center of the coil 6 and then in the other direction to said center. By controlling the speed of the motor 79, it is possible to have the cycle of operation or frequency of the coil 6 equal to that of the coil 3 and the alternating current source of supply connected therewith, thereby enabling current to continue its flow from the secondary coil to the desired point of use.

It will be here noted that a suitable centrifugal switch may be provided in conjunction with the reversing switch mechanism so that the said reversing switch mechanism does not come into operation until the motor 7g has reached the required speed. Such a centrifugal switch or the like is well known in the art and hence is not shown.

In the structure illustrated in Fig. 2, most of the parts and portions are similar to those shown in Fig. 1 except that in place of the primary coils 3 and 6, a single dual primary coil 11 is provided. The extremities of this coil are connected to the alternating current supply line 4. The extremities of said coil 11 are also connected to a switch 12 adapted to be operated simultaneously with the switches 9 and 5. The contacts 7a and 'lb instead of connecting directly to the primary coil are connected to the switch 12. The contact 7a, however, is connected in the usual manner to the source of direct current supply, that is to one lead of the direct current supply line 8. The other lead of said supply line is connected to the center of the dual primary coil 11. Operation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 2 is essentially the same as in Fig. 1, however, in order to maintain a constant alternating current voltage in the distributing system it is necessary that the source of direct current have a voltage equal to one-half the voltage supplied by the source of alternating current; whereas, in the structure illustrated in Fig. 1 the source of direct current may have any voltage in respect to the source of alternating current, it merely being necessary to arrange the ampere turns on the coils 3 and 6 to correspond.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a primary unit and a secondary winding, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with said primary unit, a direct current supply line also electrically connectable with said primary unit, means interposed in said direct current supply line for periodically reversing the polarity of said primary unit, and selective means for connecting said alternating current supply line or said direct current supply line with said primary unit.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a primary unit and a secondary winding, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with said primary unit, a direct current supply line also electrically connectable with said primary unit, means interposed in said direct current supply line for periodically reversing the polarity of said primary unit, selective means for connecting said alternating current supply line or said direct current supply line with said primary unit, and automatic control means for shifting said selective means so as to connect said direct current supply line with said primary unit upon failure of said alternating current supply line.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a primary coil, a primary winding and a secondary winding, an alternating current'supply line electrically connectable with said primary coil, a direct current supply line electrically connectable with said primary winding, means interposed in said direct current supply line for periodically reversing the polarity of said primary winding, switch mechanism for connecting either said primary coil or said primary winding with its corresponding source of supply, and automatic control means for shifting said switch mechanism so as to connect said direct current supply line with said primary winding upon failure of said alternating current supply line.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a primary coil and a secondary winding, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with the extremities of said primary coil, a polarity reversing means also connected to the extremities of said primary coil, a direct current supply line connected to the center of said primary coil and to said polarity reversing means, and a selective switch for connecting either said alternating current supply line or said direct current supply line with said primary coil.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a primary coil and a secondary winding, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with the extremities of said primary coil, a polarity reversing means also connected to the extremities of said primary coil, a direct current supply line connected to the center of said primary coil and to said polarity reversing means, a selective switch for connecting either said alternating current supply line or said direct current supply line with said primary coil, and an automatic control for said selective switch, said control including means normally tending to hold said selective switch in position for connecting said primary coil with said direct current supply line, and mechanism responsive to flow of current in said alternating current supply line for holding said selective switch in position for connecting said primary coil with said alternating current supply line, whereby said primary coil is only operated from said direct current supply line upon failure of said alternating current supply line.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a primary coil, a primary winding and a secondary winding, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with said primary coil, a direct current supply line electrically connectable with said primary winding, means interposed in said direct current supply line for periodically reversing the polarity of said primary winding, switch mechanism for connecting either said primary coil or said primary element with its corresponding source of supply, and an automatic control for said switch mechanism, said control including means normally tending to hold said switch mechanism in position for connecting said primary winding with said direct current supply line and mechanism responsive to flow of current in said alternating current supply line for holding said switch mechanism in position for connecting said primary coil with said alternating current supply line, whereby said primary winding is only operated upon failure of said alternating current supply line.

'I. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a primary unit and a secondary winding, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with said primary unit, a direct current supply line also electrically.

connectable with said primary unit, means interposed in said direct current supply line for periodically reversing the polarity of said primary unit, selective means for connecting said alternating current supply line or said direct current supply line with said primary unit, and an automatic control for said selective means, said control including means normally tending to hold said selective means in position for connecting said primary unit with said direct current supply line, and mechanism responsive to flow of current in said alternating current supply line for holding said selective means in position for connecting said primary unit with said alternating current supply line, whereby said primary unit is only operated from said direct current supply line upon failure of said alternating current supply line.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a power receiving side and a power discharging side, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with said power receiving side, a direct current supply line also electrically connectable with said power receiving side, a polarity reversing means interposed between said direct current supply line and the power receiving side of said transformer, and means for actuating said polarity reversing means, said actuating means being so timed as to impress the power discharging side of said transformer with a frequency corresponding to the frequency of said alternating current supply line.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a power receiving side and a power discharging side, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with said power receiving side, a direct current supply line also electrically connectable with said power receiving side, a polarity reversing means interposed between said direct current supply line and the power receiving side of said transformer, means for actuating said polarity reversing means, said actuating means being so timed as to impress the power discharging side of said transformer with a frequency corresponding to the frequency of said alternating current supply line, and a selective switch for connecting either said alternating current supply line or said direct current supply line with the intake or power receiving side of said transformer.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a power receiving side and a power discharging side, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with said power receiving side, a direct current supply line also electrically connectable with said power receiving side, a polarity reversing means interposed between said direct current supply line and the power receiving side of said transformer, means for actuating said polarity reversing means, said actuating means being so timed as to impress the power discharging side of said transformer with a frequency corresponding to the frequency of said alternating current supply line, a selective switch for connecting either said alternating current supply line or said direct current supply line with the intake or power receiving side of said transformer, and an automatic control for shifting said selective switch so as to connect said direct current supply line with the power receiving side of said transformer upon failure of said alternating current supply line.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a transformer including a power receiving side and a power discharging side, an alternating current supply line electrically connectable with said power receiving side, a direct current supply line also electrically connectable with said power receiving side, a polarity reversing means interposed between said direct current supply line and the power receiving side of said transformer, means for actuating said polarity reversing means. said actuating means being so timed as to impress the power discharging side of said transformer with a frequency corresponding to the frequency of said alternating current supply line. a selective switch for connecting either said alternating current supply line or said direct current supply line with the intake or power receiving side of said transformer, and an automatic control for said selective switch, said control including means normally tending to hold said selective switch in position for connecting the power receiving side of said transformer with said direct current supply line, and mechanism responsive to flow of current in said alternating current supply line for holding said selective switch in position for connecting the power receiving side of said transformer with said alternating current supply line, whereby the power receiving side of said transformer is only operated from said direct current supply,line upon failure of said alternating current supply line.

12. In an apparatus of the class wherein a selective means connects an alternating current supply line or a direct current supply line with a transformer structure, including an automatic control normally holding the selective means in position for connecting the transformer structure with the direct current supply line, but responsive to flow of current in said alternating current supply line for holding the selective means in position for connecting the transformer with the alternating current supply line, whereby the transformer is operated from the direct current supply line only upon failure of the alternating current supply line, the inclusion in said transformer structure, of a primary unit connected through said selective means with both the alternating current supply line and the direct current supply line, and means interposed between said primary unit and the portion of said selective means connected with the direct current supply line for periodically reversing the polarity of said primary unit when connected therewith.

13.1n an apparatus of the class wherein a selective means connects an alternating current supply line or a direct current supply line with a transformer structure, including an automatic control normally holding the selective means in 4 position for connecting the transformer structure with the direct current supply line, but responsive to flow of current in said alternating current supply line for holding the selective means in position for connecting the transformer with the alternating current supply line, whereby the transformer is operated from the direct current supply line only upon failure of the alternating current supply line, the inclusion in said transformer structure of a primary coil, its extremities electrically connectable through said selective means with said alternating current supply line, a polarity reversing means also connected with the extremities of said primary coil, and conductors extending from said polarity reversing means and the center of said primary coil to the direct current supply line controlling portion of said selective means.

14. In an apparatus of the class wherein a selective means connects an alternating current supply line or a direct current supply line with a transformer structure, including an automatic Ponool.

control normally holding the selective means in position for connecting the transformer structure with the direct current supply line, but responsive to flow of current in said alternating current supply line for holding the selective means in position for connecting the transformer with the alternating current supply line, whereby the transformer is operated from the direct current supply line only upon failure of the alternating current supply line, the inclusion in said transformer structure of a primary unit comprising a primary coil and a primary winding, said primary coil electrically connectable through said selective means to said alternating current supply line, a polarity reversing means connected with the extremities of said primary winding, and conductors extending from said polarity reversing means and the center of said primary winding to the direct current supply line controlling portion of said selective means.

ALBERT M. PROCTOR.

1,801,022, on 11-171-97 (505a). 

